Using a home as the chosen location for your wedding photographs gives you, as the bridal couple, many different options, more flexibility and (usually) a cheaper site. The different rooms of the house, the internal and external structure, the location and the décor will be a very important part of your wedding photos. These elements [...]

Using a home as the chosen location for your wedding photographs gives you, as the bridal couple, many different options, more flexibility and (usually) a cheaper site. The different rooms of the house, the internal and external structure, the location and the décor will be a very important part of your wedding photos. These elements will add to the ambience, look and feel of your pictures. Therefore, it is very important that you choose a house that reflects the theme or ambience of your wedding day. In this way, the photographs (and, therefore, your keepsakes of the day) are complemented and enhanced by their backdrop.

Some examples of how to use the rooms of a house include:

The Bathroom
The bathroom of many homes represents a luxurious retreat for the busy partners. Play on this image by filling the tub with rose petals, bubbles or candles and placing your bride and/or groom on its rim, as they playfully trail their fingers through the water or sip on a glass of champagne. Alternatively, place them in front of the ‘His and Hers’ basins as he shaves his face and she brushes her teeth.

The Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of many homes, especially for the wife and mum. It holds promises of family get-togethers, romantic dinners for two and experimenting with new recipes. There are also many negative clichés around the role of a new wife and her being bound to the kitchen. So, photographs that take a humorous approach to such traditional negative thoughts introduce fun and humour to the event. Some great ideas are to have the bride allowing her groom to taste one of her creations as she lovingly feeds him off a wooden mixing spoon, or to place him at a sink full of dishes while she lazily sits at the kitchen table reading a fashion magazine.

The Dining Room
Couples do not often use their dining room these days, unless they have guests to entertain. So, this room has an air of fun as it evokes memories of family occasions and hours spent laughing with friends over a meal. A beautifully set table with crystal glasses, embossed plates and silver cutlery is a classic, rash posh backdrop against which the bridal couple can enjoy their first meal together over candlelight.

The Workshop
Using this area is great, especially if the groom is keen on DIY or working on cars in his garage, as it will reflect his passion and personality. Have him lying under a vintage car while the bride hands him a giant wrench, position her knocking nails into the wall as he sits against the wall enjoying his coffee or the two of them carrying a large, finished ‘product’ out of the workshop proudly.

These are just some examples of how a house can be transformed into the ideal set for a fantastic bridal photo shoot. Speak to your photographer openly about how you envision your photographs coming out and the tone and mood you would like to convey (romance, humour, fun, passion, etc…). Visit the house in advance to get a good feel of the outlay and potential photo opportunities. Such preparation will ensure that you use each room and opportunity to its full potential.

Photo Credit: Culinnovation